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    Chicago History Museum

    4.1 (413 reviews)
    Closed • 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

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    Jackie R.

    I wish I had the time to actually stop and fully experience each of the exhibits more clearly. I'll have to take another trip. The kiddos enjoyed the sensing Chicago exhibit. I enjoyed learning more about the Chicago fire, the world fair & about the history of Uptown Theater. There is a cafe with coffee and other Chicago staples. I didn't eat there but I love the attention to detail on their menu offering. The kiddos said they love seeing the old trains & thought they looked better than the current or new ones.

    Alexander B.

    If you've been to Field Museum, MSI, Institute of Art, Shedd Aquarium, and are looking to satisfy your museum craving, this is a great option. You can get a discounted ticket on Groupon, and they also offer free tours to the public. The museum has two levels - the first one is mainly a theater and a diorama exhibit, while the second floor has a lot of artifacts about the history of Chicago from 1600-1700's and into the 21st century. What I liked in particular is that it covered multiple aspects - immigrants, industry, fashion, art, commerce, civil rights, architecture, famous people, and so much more. You'll definitely learn a lot - plan at least 3 hours. The only thing that could have improved the experience would be better designed plaques with text (or lighting). Some of them were hard to read because it was either too dark in the room or the text was white color on yellow / pale-blue background which didn't provide enough contrast. Other than that, this museum is definitely worth visiting!

    Elayna D.

    Great museum to get an overview of the history of Chicago. Many exhibits shown were new to me or refresher. So many products started in Chicago that we still use today and items my parents remembered from their childhood. The exhibits displayed are a reminder of Chicago's past (bad and good). The Emmett Till exhibit, dioramas, Chicago Protest Exhibit, and Facing Freedom in America were all displayed and provided a wealth of information, some known and some unknown. A must visit if you have time, it is two levels, but easy to walk through. I spent 2-2.5 hours here and did not realize it until I was at the end.

    Zay M.

    I visited here with my son at 1pm on Sunday after leaving museum of contemporary art. We were using Go City pass. Check in was quick and easy. They have a free coat check which we utilized. They had two public tours that day. We saw the exhibits solo and not with the tour. This museum was large and had two floors. It's located near bus stops, if visiting and using public transportation. There was an exhibit for Emmitt Till that was very informative yet saddening. I'm glad there is a dedicated section for this tragedy. The Chicago fire exhibit was engaging, informative, and interactive. There was full size L train car in the exhibit. Normally, you could go inside but it was closed due to renovations. There were sooo many areas the touches on all the history of Chicago and it's fairly thorough. I really enjoyed the interactiveness and the various designs. It's more inviting and interesting vs traditional museums, especially for children. I highly recommend this. I wish I had allotted more time here.

    Sunny K.

    Chicago is so rich in history... Had no idea... Learned so much... Fell in love with Chicago even more... Exhibits were fantastic Staff was wonderful The hot dog stole the show with the kids Highly recommend

    This is a blue book which is from the 1900s in Chicago. If you wanted to look someone up and find their address, you used this.
    Maralyn O.

    The museum itself is incredible so many great exhibits. I learned something new every time I go there. But what I really love to do is go to the research library where you can look up anything about Chicago. The researchers there are really interested in your project and will help you. Maggie was helping me learn about the 1891 bldg I live in!

    Ann-Marie H.

    For Indigenous Peoples' Day, I decided to visit this museum since I had the day off, and it was a free day! Honestly, you have to come see it for yourself, which is why I'm not posting any pictures--I don't want to spoil the experience for others. I'm glad I came on a free day because, to be honest, the museum was smaller than I expected, and it didn't have as much as I thought it would. We were able to walk through it in under an hour, so if I had paid full price, I might have been a bit disappointed. That said, for someone like me who's passionate about history, particularly African-American history and culture, it's a place I'd definitely bring my parents when they visit. My favorite exhibits were the train section and the jazz and blues exhibit. I loved the interactive aspect of the jazz portion, where you could participate in a "table conversation" with cards that made it feel like you were in the 1920s. The Chicago Fire exhibit was also interesting. The museum has a lot of interactive elements, which is why I'm giving it four stars. It would've gotten five if some of the exhibits or interactions weren't roped off or out of order.

    Demetria C.

    The museum was interesting especially about the history of people , places and things. Alot of things I didn't know about Chicago but was informed about at the museum. There are different exhibits from politicians , music , politics ,trains and clothing . So many things to see and read about . It's 2 levels to the museum, you won't get bored , plus there is a kid interaction area. It was a few feild trips there , and the kids seemed entertained. Overall great visit to learn about Chicago

    Stephanie G.

    The Chicago History Museum is a great encapsulation of the city's history from its early days to its fire, the World's Fair, and Abraham Lincoln's visit. Their displays are very engaging, and a full-sized train car and city dioramas were cool to see. It was disappointing to see signs for item removals. It's a fairly expensive museum for there to be empty cases for an exhibit that is not even that old, removed not for preservation but for rewriting history. There is also a sign in each exhibit about how the museum was on stolen lands, but no word if the museum is donating its profits or giving the land back. The sheer number of signs and requirements for the tour guide to read the sign was a bit overdone and no longer in the spirit of solely presenting facts. The exhibit on the fire was very thorough, and we luckily came when a tour was being offered. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and the exhibit itself was detailed and well-done. The other exhibits took less time, but everything was worth the walkthrough. The entire museum takes a few hours, and some of the exhibits are great. The gift shop is pretty bad with almost nothing with the museum's name on it. There's a small cafe on site, but if you hang onto your ticket, you can leave and reenter as needed. It's worth doing as a tourist, but I do hope the emphasis stays on presenting facts related to Chicago's history.

    Travis T.

    A museum outside of the usual museum campus area by the Loop. Overall, I enjoyed the museum and the $17 ($19 for non-students and non-seniors) admission was worth it. Too bad one of the special exhibitions on the first floor was closed. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the museum especially the exhibit related to the Chicago Fire of 1871 and how life was in Chicago back then.

    Nick P.

    I've been here once but it was a memorable experience. Cost of admission is cheap. For adults it's $19 and they do have select free days for Illinois residents. From the name of the museum, people might find it less intriguing and would rather attend the bigger, more popular ones downtown. I can assure you that this one is far more interesting than the Adler Planetarium. I spent roughly 4-5 hours here, looking and reading everything that I wanted to look at. I don't want to give anything away but recommend you check out their website. They have tons of photo opportunities in the exhibits. It's located close to the Lincoln Park Zoo. For parking, you can either look for free parking close to the zoo or use an app like Spot Hero to find a guaranteed spot. Since this museum is not nearly as busy as the other ones, you can go anytime. It wasn't super crowded. When you finish, the Lincoln Park area has an excellent selection of restaurants.

    Pritzker Family Tree
    Steve A.

    Chicago has lots of very interesting history, so it's hard to get it all in one museum but this one tries anyway. It can be good for a few hours of fun and learning. The Chicago History Museum also has free admission at certain times for local residents, allowing them to avoid the kind of high prices. Look at some interesting artifacts from around the city. You can find many that are serious and not so serious so it's a good place for both adults and kids to look through. A pretty big museum because there's a lot of history to cover. It has some of the oldest stuff on the first floor. There's exhibits on the settlers and the digging of the canal and that kind of stuff. Also there's an exhibit of local sights and smells good for children. There's a big figure of a Chicago style hot dog and it documents the ingredients. More stuff is on the second floor. This covers the history of things like the Haymarket Riot and the Union Stock Yards. Of course there's a large exhibit about the fire. There's also exhibits on local sports. Good stuff if interested in the history of the city. It's kind of expensive but local residents can get free admission on certain days that happen every now and then. These are listed on the website.

    Hunter S.

    Located in old village, a few miles out of the loop/tourist district, this is not the typical museum stop in Chicago. I wouldn't call it a must see, but if you want to know more about Chicago, it's history, neighborhoods, population, and how it became the city it is today, this would be a great start to your Chicago trip. The main reason I came here is to see the Lincoln death bed. There is also a section on Lincoln's Chicago. There is a prominent, poignant section on the Chicago fire. It tells the history, the rebuilding, and the long term effects on the city, but most impressively the exhibit displays artifacts from the fire: knickknacks, decor, melted buckets of nails, a burned hymnal, even cookies that burned so hot and fast that they turned to charcoal cookies. There was also a section on polish Chicago, which was so large and detailed that you'd really have to have an interest in the subject. There were sections on advancement of transport (trains, rail) as well as business (Sears, Montgomery Ward, Oscar Mayer etc). They covered several historical disasters in Chicago. They had a small superficial exhibit on race and civil rights, though it was whitewashed and weak. The Chicago blues section was pitiful and put together as an afterthought. Some displays were oversimplified and almost geared toward kids. There is an actual interactive kids section. If you want to know more about Chicago, this is the place to start. Admission is 19 bucks.

    Checks the look and flavor boxes. Great job by those involved! May the hot dog gods bless you and your families.

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - Chicago History Museum

    Review Highlights - Chicago History Museum

    “I really like the diorama room where you can look at models that make it seem like your back in time.”

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    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry - United 727

    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
    8.7 mi•Hyde Park

    We probably covered 30% of all MSI has to offer, and my almost three year old is already planning…read morehis next trip! This place is really incredible. I was worried my toddler might be a little bit too young, but MSI does a great job of having spaces for all ages. We spent a lot of time downstairs looking at the fairy castles, baby chicks, in the mirror maze, and the idea factory! The idea factory was definitely a little outdated (my husband said nothing has changed since he came here as a kid) but even still, it was super cool and super perfect for toddlers. It's also great because this area is suuuper interactive (and especially aimed for smaller kiddos). The other space we spent a lot of time was the space exhibit. This is so cool with so much to see and learn. We can't wait to come back and see more of MSI! Super happy with our first visit with a little guy though.

    Wow, our minds were blown away by this Smithsonian quality museum! We only expected to check it…read moreout for a few hours but ended up spending the entire day here. Although the submarine was their signature piece, what we enjoyed the most were the thoughtful and engaging displays with the trains and airplanes (especially the airplane engine). This museum is truly a gem and we were lucky to spend the day here.

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    The Art Institute of Chicago - Adult ticket $32

    The Art Institute of Chicago

    4.7(2.5k reviews)
    2.3 mi•The Loop

    Wheeeew, grab a map when you walk in!! We tried to go without and it didn't end well. Not only did…read moremy boyfriend and I lose each other very early on, but we also lost track of what sections we had been in. Eventually we reconvened in the main area and consulted the visitor guide to ensure we maximized our time here, but it was still impossible to see everything. We happened to arrive right before noon, so we were able to peep in Fullerton Hall, which was cool. We also combed through the impressionism area and I enjoyed all the Monets. I then went on a MISSION to find American Gothic, which ended up being in an entirely different wing -- eventually I found it though. Paradise Lost was another highlight of course, as well as the Chicago Stock Exchange room recreation. We wrapped things up in the modern wing, and I was hyped to see several pieces from Andy Warhol, plus a Dali. If we didn't have a flight that night, we easily could've spent 2-3 more hours here.

    Visiting the Art Institute of Chicago had long been on my bucket list ever since taking an art…read morehistory class in high school, so it was a dream come true to finally see it in person. I booked my tickets in advance on the morning of my visit and walked over from River North in the afternoon. Upon entering the galleries, I went up the central staircase and immediately found myself in a room with my favorite Impressionist masterpieces, including works by Monet, Seurat, Caillebotte, Van Gogh, and Matisse...just to name a few. I wandered through the other galleries and continued to spot my favorite paintings from other art periods. I even found a mummy! The museum layout was a little confusing, but the galleries were well-labeled, and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable in helping me find my way. Thinking that I would only spend about an hour in the museum, I ended up staying almost until closing. Before leaving, I stopped in at the gift shop to pick up some postcards to commemorate my visit. I highly recommend the Art Institute of Chicago to anyone visiting the city, and I would definitely consider coming back when I have more time on my next visit.

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    Chicago Architecture Center - The new Chicago Architecture Center at 111 E. Wacker Dr!

    Chicago Architecture Center

    4.6(567 reviews)
    1.7 mi•The Loop
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    Almost everyone you meet in Chicago who loves their city will ask when you tell them you are…read morevisiting from out of town, "Have you done the architectural boat tour?" People in Amsterdam will also ask if you have done a canal boat tour - and you have to do these when you visit these cities. Our docent volunteer guide, Steve, was excellent. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable about the city's riverside buildings and its history. The boat staff was also hardworking and ready to help with any issues, from getting a drink at the boat's downstairs bar to handing out covers when the rain hit us. For what we paid, the 1.5 hour tour was more than worth it. I recommend sitting at the top towards the back, as you don't have to crane your neck as much when he points out places of interest. This was a truly wonderful experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

    Not what I expected overall but it was still a very educational experience. Scoring tickets to…read moreChicago's Architecture Center through our hotel, we used the tickets as a good time filler. Not a must see or do attraction but a great day filler activity as you explore the city. Loved the wealth of information they offer as it's valuable to understand Chicagos importance from the ground up! I thought it would be more about highlighting the amazing architectural buildings around the city but nothing like that. It's was more about the environmental impact the city has and the hurdles when designing buildings around town. The staff were friendly at check in and provided great service overall as they were kind and helpful. Small center that you may explore at your own pace and may or may not be worth the admission price. But scoring free tickets it allowed us to be selective in our day or day plans to include the activity to pay it a visit!

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    Money Museum

    Money Museum

    4.7(100 reviews)
    2.3 mi•The Loop

    5 star experience here! If you're into money ( who isn't?), and you'll find a wealth of information…read morehere! Historical data on how money came into existence and its development throughout the years. Interactive and informative displays about money and how to detect authenticity! Best of all, it's free to enter! You will need to go through security and a screening to enter. There is even a free souvenir bag of shredded currency that you may take with you. Thank you Money Museum for a five star experience! Recommended for all ages.

    The Money Museum is a great free museum and an interesting place to learn about the history of the…read moreU.S. Federal Reserve System. There is a lot of information throughout the museum, along with interactive exhibits and several visual displays that really showcase what $1 million looks like. I'm the type of person who likes to go through every exhibit, so I spent a good 2.5 hours exploring the museum. While that may seem like a long time, there was plenty to see and learn. I was able to learn about the origins of U.S. currency, the different types of military currency used during various wars, and the role and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve Chair. The interactive exhibits also helped make some of the information more engaging and easier to understand. Overall, this was a great experience, especially considering that admission is free.

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    Chicago History Museum - museums - Updated October 2026

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